Chapter twenty: Rocky Return
"After escaping the base I had everything I needed.." Shiro explained simply, his eyes looking quite glassy by now.
"To know how to rescue him?" Pidge wondered.
"No.." Shiro shook his head slightly. "To get help I needed to rescue him…"
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Sliding back into the hidden rebel base was no problem the second time around.. though the ache of his body didn't make it any more enjoyable. Kneeling to the ground once he was inside, he dropped the drone and the two devices in front of himself. Taking up the Galra device, he placed it in his side-pocket and the other one(from the satchel), he took up in his left hand. He held it up purposefully, but a sudden onset of a sensation forced him to drop it. He blankly watched it clatter to the ground, and stared at it where it landed for a moment; before finally stooping down to pick it up. Opening the drone's hatch, he carefully placed the drive into it and tapped on a few of the buttons on the drone. Activating his gauntlet once more, he typed in a set of unique numbers and codes, and shot them into the drone's navigation system. Taking it up once more he exited the base and snuck through the forest to the highest point he could find…. just above where he'd crashed. Staring up into the dark blue night, he held the drone on both hands in front of his body. Shifting hands, he pressed a couple buttons on the drone's screen and held it out at arm's length. When the jet's fired, he let go and it blasted off; a cloaking mechanism masking it from view, as it set off for its destination. With this said and done, he stealthily made his way back down the ridge; sliding under the rocky slab that led to his new place of hiding.. where he'd wait for the cavalry to arrive ever so soon...
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"Once I sent the drone, I knew it was only a matter of time before you'd come to rescue Matt." Shiro explained distantly. "I used the technology in the hidden base to track the Galra until you arrived… that's how I knew when to break back into the base to help Pidge and Matt escape. I used the drive that I found in Matt's satchel to download the information that I sent to the Blades with the drone; because I knew I had the right connector for Pidge's computer and it'd make it easier to access the intel for a quicker response. I deleted the Galra's information on myself, and sent the message on a private channel; which I had to immediately destroy, so not to give myself or the Blade of Marmora away to the Galra."
"So that's why the message couldn't be fully traced." Pidge realized finally. "You knew that the Blades' computer tech had the ability to save any data they receive, even if it couldn't be traced."
"And using the drive you found in my hidden facility was brilliant." Matt put in; having arrived partway through Shiro's explanation, to listen to the story along with the rest of the team.
"Wow.. gotta say, the guy knows us pretty well." Lance said, placing his hands on his hips impressively.
"I maintained the security of the hidden base until you arrived.. then I destroyed it.. so no one who found it could know what went on in there;.. but not before downloading all the information into this.." He took out the Galra drive he'd concealed this whole time, and handed it to Matt; who took it and looked up at him thoughtfully. "I couldn't download all of it onto it though.. so I used the only other thing I had to finish the download." He held up his right hand and flexed it to hint at his meaning. Pidge got up to get something, as Keith rose to come stand before Shiro directly.
"I'm so sorry, Shiro." The Red Paladin began sheepishly. "It's my fault you had to go through all of that. I was selfish and foolish and-…" Keith's rambling ended with a hand on his shoulder, that brought his eyes up to meet deep, meaningful grey ones. Shiro had somehow gained the strength to stand, reassuringly placing his hand on the younger man's shoulder.
"You're not the first to make a huge mistake, but at least it didn't cost anyone their life." Shiro told him. "And I'd like to think that it was meant to happen." Keith shifted back slightly to drop Shiro's hand off him.
"How can you say that?" He protested icily, a distant twinge of disbelief poking through the look in his eyes.
"Because it gave you the focus to push through and find an answer." The Black Paladin pointed out, hunching slightly to his left.
"Uhhh..what?" Hunk wondered with a lost look on his face.
"What answer are you talking about?" The Princess questioned, almost sounding suspicious.
"I'm remembering now.." Shiro stated. "When Zarkon attacked my mind, he almost succeeded in taking me down.. but you guys saved me." His dynamic tone gave reference to all of them as he spoke. "I reached out to Keith several times.. hoping he'd catch on and rally the rest of you into making it happen."
"The voice.." Keith breathed recalling the strange whisper in his ear. "I was hearing it even before we lost you."
"Yes.." Shiro confirmed lowly. "And I could hear you, believe it or not… though how it was possible, I still can't quite figure it out." Shiro suddenly seethed in pain, grabbing his side as a sudden weakness came over him. Lance and Keith caught his elbows to stop his fall lowering him down into his chair just behind him. Shiro instinctively dropped his left hand down to grab the armrest, as he sat down; Pidge noticing how it trembled as he gripped it and stopped when he relaxed. "*light groan* the pain is only now starting to return to full strength.." Shiro mumbled dryly, his voice rasping a little. "Whatever those strangers shot me with.. it helped me catch somewhat of a break from it all."
"Wait.. so what exactly were these 'strangers' like again?" Pidge ventured, when hooking the Galra drive up to her computer, and the computer to the Castle.
"I don't know.." Shiro admitted. "They didn't seem as friendly as they were letting on.. but at the same time they didn't seem to want to harm me either. Something about them was off, but I couldn't really place it at the time. All I remember is they're voices and vague flashes of them. But I didn't really get a very good look at them, given my situation. Most of what I remember was purple and white and then just odd shapes, muddled colors and strange voices. And that ship I.. I can't help but wonder why they left it for me to take. But then again they could've left it for a reason."
"Any idea what?" Lance wondered, now hold his arms crossed across his chest.
"Wish I did." Shiro shrugged slightly, laying back exactly where he was, like some weight was holding him there. Noting Shiro's loose posture, they could tell he wasn't feeling well. His hands hung off the armrests, dangling lifelessly from the rest of his body; which was slouched back slightly against the chair in a sunken position that didn't seem at all comfortable. The glassiness of his eyes showed off the dampness of his pale skin, which shimmered with the remnants of sweat returning to his brow. Pidge pulled up a screen on her gauntlet, which flashed a warning with a red icon.
"His fever's returning.." She reported then looked up at the team. "Whatever has been sustaining him is amazing?!"
"Then there's no time to lose.." The Princess decided. "We need to get him to a pod again.. he has more healing that needs to happen." And with that Hunk and Lance helped Shiro up and back to the infirmary.
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As the shield went up over him once again,.. Keith wondered if Shiro would remember anything else, for when he would emerge back out of the cryogenic sleep that the healing pod infectiously brought on.
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Silence remained the company of the five members of the group, no one desiring to speak until a certain moment.
"Sir.. access as been made,.. but we are unable to view it through the connection point." Axca reported, turning from her control panel to make eye contact with her leader.
"Hardly a surprise." Lotor replied, thoughtfully slouching sideways in his chair. "Given the weakened and battered state he was in.. I'd imagine some healing work would likely be the first thing to transpire upon returning…"
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"He's out." Zethrid reported, all four generals standing around the unconscious Paladin looking up to their leader intently.
"Begin the sequence." Lotor instructed simply, having stood up with a mindfully stoic look on his face. Narti silently approached a control panel and began typing at it. The desired protocol popped up and she slid it to the right, then turned around. She watched as the small, compact, generator-like device below the left side of the Paladin's chair lit up. And veins of a greenish-blue snaked their way up the large cord, which funneled into a smaller one; connected directly into his metal extremity across his body. The light soon died down.. and the screen in front of Narti lit up; to which she looked up at Lotor and a whispering symphony mentally indicated their success.
"Good.. now let us finish this up, shall we?" The wayward Prince of the Galra declared; glancing to his second-in-command and nodding. Axca pressed a button on the panel to her left with her whole hand, and the device's cable automatically disconnected itself from Shiro's arm, falling to the floor in a lifeless clang. Zethrid and Axca took places on either side of Shiro.. taking his arms and pulling them over their shoulders.
"Now what are we gonna do with this guy anyway?" Zethrid questioned, almost demanding.
"He will be allowed to reach his goal." Lotor replied simply. "So to speak.." And Axca led the way back through the ship to the smaller one waiting out next to theirs…
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"It'll take time.." Lotor explained certainly, holding his position this entire time. "But I believe any time is time enough." And the generals exchanged glances.. all wondering about what this meant.
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Darkness everywhere.. only the slightest light glowed blue to reveal the location to one who might aimlessly wander in. Though one who already was, stared listlessly with glazed eyes.. the bluish-grey hue becoming more grey in the dulled space of time in which he resided. The only thing on his mind was the numb feeling of anything but joy. When he should be celebrating, he felt all he could do was sulk. Keith wondered how long such things would hang over him... but then he recalled a memory from not that long ago.. And remembered exactly why his heart ached in such an agonizing way. Shiro's still face remained so.. no sign of any form of dream or nightmare; yet peace didn't seem to be the tone of his expression. Keith dropped his gaze on the floor and sighed while closing his eyes. Even while not looking at him.. Keith could almost feel his presence from where he was in the pod on his immediate right; as if somehow his very being was standing there with him while his body recovered. Keith looked up hoping to see him standing there; but was sadly disappointed when he saw nothing but the same old display, that had no doubt been here for seemingly ages. Feeling the urge to lie down, he slowly pushed himself up to make his way to the center of the room. Finding his place on the floor, he sat down to slowly lower himself smoothly to the floor. He lay there staring up at the endless ceiling with his hands draped over his stomach; and imagined himself lying on a hill at night. He recalled a time that he chose to manifest in the here and now.. where he and Shiro had once shared their time. Stars above them.. a cool grassy hill beneath them. And nothing but love and respect for one another to complement the company of the other. That presence seemed to appear again.. but this time a flash appeared to his right. And when he looked over, he found his best friend turning to smile at him in turn. No scar.. no white hair.. and no traumatic background… And for a moment… he dared himself to be even just a little bit relieved. But then Shiro's smiling face bubbled up with the rest of his body, and he melted away once more. And at that time, the sky directly above him split into a bright light that tore away the darkness; like ripping a piece of paper in half..
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Keith shot upright again.. his breaths audible and a little fast, as he realized that he'd fallen asleep. From where he lay in the middle of the floor, he glanced around the circle before drowsily setting his eyes on the calm glow of the pod just above him. Nothing has changed.
"Keith?" The Red Paladin kept his upper body braced up with his elbows, and craned his neck to look back and find Lance standing in the doorway lit up by the hallway lights; looking rather puzzled. Suddenly though his attention was abruptly diverted, when grunts and moans sounded. Keith's eyes flashed wide, as he found Shiro discouragingly squirming about, as the light of the pod would briefly pulse red to interrupt the friendly blue; screaming red flags at him all the way to his very soul.
"Shiro!" Keith scrambled up and raced to the pod, Lance still frozen where he was. Studying the sides of the pod, Keith felt along the edges; as if to try and pry it open. But only received a shock that plunged him back to the floor.
"Keith!" Lance cried, suddenly snapping out of it to leap down to help his friend; just as other figures hurried in.
"What's going on?!" Allura demanded, fright being the main tone of her voice.
"I think it's happening again." Lance replied with just a hint of exasperation and a lot of urgency, as he began to help Keith up by the arms from behind; looking up at Shiro tensely. Allura didn't think twice to smashed her hand to the glass to open the pod; not even caring that she would receive a shock that blasted her back afterward.
"Allura!" Coran cried stressfully, immediately coming to her side. But instantly looked up when hearing something. The team froze, as Shiro fell forward out of the pod and hit the ground on his hands and knees. His breaths could be heard echoing all around them.. and his left arm was noticeably trembling, even as he weighed down on it. His head remained lowered, as his eyes remained closed. Daring himself to open them, he found the floor beneath him; and felt an immediate wave of relief wash over him. With a deep relieved sigh, he laid flat on the ground and seemed to pass out upon contact with the ground.
Hey everybody! How's it going?! This next chapter was sooo much fun! I enjoyed this one mostly because of the creative twists that I both, set up earlier on in the story AND introduced exclusively to this chapter. The scene with Keith falling asleep in the middle of the floor of the infirmary, in my opinion, was a rather understandable given his situation. And it had soo much potential that I just couldn't resist! But Please! Lemme know what you guys think? And I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Thx!